Ore-flotation apparatus.



J M. CALLOW,

ORE FLOTATION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, I914.

Patented May 9, 1916.

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Q John M UaZZaw.

JOHN M. GALLOW, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO METALS RECOVERY COMPANY, OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF'MAINE.

ORE-FLOTATION APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 15, 1914. Serial No. 845,306.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J on M. CALLOW, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore- Flotation Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a flotation apparatus, designed for the concentration of metallic ores by separating the metallic particles from the barren or rocky constituents thereof, and the invention consists of the parts and the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In 7 the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification-Figure 1 is a vertieal longitudinal sectional view of a flotation apparatus embodying my mvention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are modifications of porous mediums hereinafter referred to.

The apparatus shown in the present case is specifically related to the art commonly known as buoyant or flotation processes and which is distinct from the usual gravity concentration processes in which the particles are separated by their differences in weight or specific gravity in that in the flotation process a certain percentage of oil, or of two dissimilar oils, or an oil and an acid, or an oil and an alkali, or some substance having the property of producing a suitable froth with the ore is mixed withfinely ground ore pulp and water and the mixture is then subjected to a violent agitation with the result that large volumes of air are beaten into, .impregnated with, or entrained by the pulp for the purpose of producing a foam or suds having the appearanceof an aggregation or mass of fine soap bubbles which when collected and the froth discharged or broken down, by natural settlement, by suction or vacuum, or by the addition of cold water, or other means, displaces the mineral particles that have been caught and carried by the bubbles.

In another application filed by me on the 13th day of December, 1913, Serial Number 806,361, I have shown, described and claimed the employment of a porous medium of some suitable character for admitting a gaseous fluid under pressure into the body of pulp in innumerable fine streams or jets for the purpose of both aerating and agitating the pulp, said gaseous fluid being the medium of aerating or charging the pulp with the desired volume of air, gas or vapor and, also, serving as a medium for inducing and maintaining that agitation of the pulp which heretofore was obtained by mechanical propellers and stirrers; and in conjunction therewith, a means, broadly, operating in proximity to the upper surface of said porous medium, for maintaining'the heavier constituents of the solution in suspension to thereby prevent the blanketing of the air outlets of said porous body.

The present invention relates to a specific means for operating over or in proximity to the surface of the porous medium for keeping the coarse sands or heavier particles of the pulp in motion or suspension, to thereby prevent these particles settling on the surface of the porous medium and obstructmg or blanketing the'air outlets thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, A, represents a tank of any suitable capacity, construction and design adapted to contain crushed ore and water and a frothable-agent,

said tank' having its upper portion formed or provided with an edge or lip, A, for the overflow of the froth or foam generated in the tank and rising to the surface thereof, as I 'willhereinafter explain, At one side, the tank is provided with double walls, 6, b, separated from each other to form an intervening space which may be extended at the bottom to form a chamber, 0, into which tailings or coarser particles of the ore will settle or may be delivered and from which they may be discharged through a suitable valve-controlled outlet, 03.

Elevated a suitable distance above the bottom of the tank is a false floor or bottom, 6,

-of some suitable porous material such for instance as porous brick, or a layer of fine sand, 2', between two restraining layers, 8, of screen cloth; or layers, 4, of fibrous material laid one above the other such, for instance, as cocoa matting; or certain kinds of porous wood, 5, such as basswood; or in fact any porous material through which air can be forced in more or less irregular jets of infinite number and fineness, as explained more at length in my aforesaid prior application and which porous material, whatever its nature, forms the passage of gaseous fluid, but not the pulp and water, so that said fluid may enter into the body of the pulp and agitate and aerate the same without the aid of mechanical heaters and stirrers, it being understood that between the bottom of this porous medium and the bottom of the tank there is provided an air chamber, f, into which air, gas or vapor may be admitted under pressure from any suitable source. The air chamber may be a single continuous one extending substantially throughout the length of the porous floor or false bottom, or this chamber may, if desired, be divided into compartments by suitable partitions, g, as shown by dotted lines, in which latter case, a branch of the air pipe will lead to each of the compartments, as will be readily understood.

The particular means employed in the present instance for maintaining the coarser particles of the pulp in suspension to prevent the blanketing of the pores or outlets of the porous material, is in the nature of an endless traveling carrier of any appropriate construction, whose lower run is adapted to sweep over or in proximity to the upper surface of the porous medium. While various means may be employed for accomplishing the desired object, I have shown for illustrative purposes, an endless traveling belt, formed for instance of suitable parallel side chains, h, or thelike passing around pulleys, 2', mounted in and above the tank, say one in the bottom near each end of the tank and one above the tank, the latter being mounted on a driving shaft operated by any suitable means, said belt being provided with a series of bars, or

scrapers, is, adapted to operate in the manner ofpaddles over the upper surface of the porous medium, or in proximity thereto; for stirring up the lower body of the pulp and thereby keeping the sands and coarser particles of the ore in motion and suspension and to prevent the clogging of the pores of the porous medium by these coarserparticles settling upon the upper surface of said medium. The bars, paddles or scrapers also have the function of advancing the coarse particles toward the tailings chamber, 0, at one side of the tank into which chamber these particles are delivered through a suitable opening, Z, formed beneath the inner wall, 6, of the tank. I

From theforegoing, it will be understood that the jets of gaseous fluid which are delivered through the porous medium into the body of pulp have the function of producing a more or less violent agitation and ehullition of the. pulp, and thatthis causes a froth or foam to generate and to finally rise and form on the surface of the pulp, from which it is discharged at the overflow edge, into a suitable launder or receptacle, m,

placed to receive it, During this operation the coarser sands tend to settle in the lower portion of the tank and upon the upper surface of the porous medium, but this tendency is counteracted and in fact, entirely removed by the employment of the endless traveling carrier with its bars, paddles, or stirrers, is, of whatever nature, operating over or adjacent the surface of the porous medium to thereby keep the heavier sands orparticles in motion and to progressively advance them in the direction of the travel of the lower run of the endless carrier and lthrough the outlet, Z, to the tailings cham- )QI, c.

In a companion application filed of even date herewith, Serial Number 845,306, I have disclosed and claimed an ore flotation apparatus, similar to the one claimed in this application, but wherein a reciprocable carrier is mounted in the tank and has elements operating in proximity to the upper surface of the porous body for maintaining the coarser constituents of the solution in suspension.

In order that a uniform discharge of froth may be maintained without re ard to any variableness or irregularity in t e feed of ore and water into the tank and which feed may be performed in any well known manner, I suspend or submerge in the fluid contents of the tank a float, 11, whose stem is connected to a lever, 0, pivotally connected at p, and having an intermediate portion pivotally connected to the vertical stem, 1', of a valve, t, which valve operates in the lower portion of the tailings chamber, a, and is designed to control the outlet, d, thereof. From this description it will be understood that the float is actuated by the level of the fluid contents of the tank and that any tendencv of the level to rise because of an excess of feed, will be immediately responded to by the lifting of the valve stem, 0', and the raising of the valve, 2?, from its seat which thus permits a portion of the tailings to discharge through the outlet, 03. By this means I preserve the level of the fluid contents of the tank and the uniformity of the overflow of the froth or suds, even though there should be a variable feed of pulp into the tank.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An ore flotation apparatus having a pulp-containing tank and a porous body therein through which streams of a gaseous fluid under pressure are admitted into the solution from below, said porous bodyv permitting the passage of the gaseous fluid but not pulp and water, and an endless travr eling carrier movable through the tank and having elements operating in proximity to the upper surface of said body for main- Ill taining the heavier constituents of the solution in suspension to thereby prevent the blanketing of the outlets of said porous body.

2. An ore flotation apparatus having a pulp-containing tank and a porous body therein through which streams of gaseous fluid under pressure are delivered into the lower part of the solution, and an endless traveling carrier having its lower run operating through the tank substantially parallel with the upper surface of the porous body, said carrier having stirring elements for maintaining the heavier constituents of the solution in suspension to thereby prevent the blanketing of the outlets of the porous body.

8. An ore flotation apparatus having a pulp-containing tank and a porous body therein through which streams of gaseous fluid under pressure are delivered into the lower part of the solution, and an endless traveling carrier having its lower run operating through the tank substantially parallel with the upper surface of the porous body, said carrier having stirring elements for maintaining the heavier constituents of the solution in suspension to thereby pre vent the blanketing of the outlets of the porous body, and said tank having a tailings-receiving chamber communicating with the interior of the tank and into which chamber the stirring-elements of the endless carrier tend to direct the heavier constituents of the solution.

4:. An ore flotation apparatus having a tank adapted to contain crushed ore and water and a frothable agent; a porous sep-.

tum for aerating the contents of the tank to produce a froth or foam, said tank having an overflow therefor and a'tailings-receiving chamber having a controllable outlet; and means operating over said septum continuously in one direction toward said chamber for maintaining the coarser particles of the ore in suspension, and for advancing the ore into said chamber.

. 5. An ore flotation'apparatus having a tank and means for producing a froth or foam therein, said means including a permeable septum through which a gaseous 

